Cattle marker



Aug. 21, 1945. w F, H T, 2,383,419 r CATTLE MARKER Original Filed May 8,1943 Patented Aug. 21, 1945 UNITED j-*S.'TATES PATENT "OFF! CE @CATTLEMARKER William F. Schachfl Huntington, nd. Original application May 8,194'3,"'S erial 'No. 48.6,221. Divided and thisapiiIication January18,1944," Serial No. 518,759 r 1Claim. -,(o1.-40 3) This invention is a"novel improvement in rcattle markers adapted -to be readily appliedeither as a horn chain marker or neck *chain marker to cattle and"livestock so that 'farmers,

Iherdsmenor breeders can readily identify same,

the present inventionbeing' an improvement upon the "markers shown in"my copending applicationsSerial No. 389,984 filed April 23, 1941;Serial No. 407,968 filed August 22, 1941; Serial No. 409,734 filedSeptember 5, 1941; Serial No.

417,195 filed October 30, 1941; Serial No. 450,471 filed July 10, 1942;Serial No. 460,730 filed October 2, 1942; Serial No. 465,498 filedNovember 13, 1942; Serial No. 480,529 filed March 25, 1943; and SerialNo. 482,749 filed April 12, 1943.

The present application is a division of my copending application SerialNo. 486,221 filed May 8, 1943.

One object of the present invention is to provide a marker comprising achain adapted to encircle the horns or neck of the livestock, one end ofthe chain carrying an initially open hook adapted to be engaged with alink adjacent the other end of the chain and the open eye then closed tolock the ends of the chain around the neck or horns of the animal in asubstantially permanent manner, and a marker plate having an integralshank-rolled to form a pair of eyes engaged in one link of the chain,the chain having links each consisting of a pair of terminal loopsseparated by an intermediate twist, and the eyes respectively engagingone of said loops of the same link.

Another object of the invention is to provide a marker of the above typein which the eyes ofthe marker plate are offset rearwardly of the planeof the plate, and a halter receiving ring is hingedly'mounted in theeyes normally overlying theback of the plate, whereby the marker willserve not only to properl identify the livestock but also will serve inplace of the usual expensive leather halter with which livestock arecustomarily equipped.

'A further object of the invention is to provide a marker of the abovetype having an integral shank provided with spaced tongues rolled toform a pair of spaced eyes, said shank having offset means thereonadjacent its base upon which the tips of the rolled tongues normallyseat to prevent opening of the eyes.

A still further object of the invention is to pro vide cattle markers ofthe above type so constructed that the same may be very easily appliedby herdsmen to the livestock, it being merely necessary for the herdsmento pass the selected to fit the neck or spaced horns of thelivestockgand then to closetheopen hook, the assembly beingmarketed withthe hook at the end-of thechain open.

Other minor objects of the invention will be hereinafter set forth.

I will explain the invention with reference to the accompanying drawing,which illustrates one practical embodiment thereof to enable othersfamiliar with the art to adopt and use the same; and will summarize inthe claim the novel features of construction and novel combinations ofparts, for which protection is desired.

In said drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan View of the metal marker showing the open hook at oneend of the neck or horn chain adapted to be engaged in a link adjacentthe other end of the chain and closed, and showing the marker platecarried by the chain.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of a marker plate shown in Fig. 1, andshowing halter strap receiving ring hingedly mounted in the pair ofspaced eyes, and showing the adjacent link of the chain.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the marker shown in Fig. 2.

As shown, the marker plate I is provided with an integral shank inhaving spaced tongues lb rolled to form a pair of spaced eyes lc, saidplate carrying on its front face indicia such as 16 for properlyidentifying or classifying the particular livestock. Shank la is offsetrearwardly of the plane of the plate and hingedly mounted in the spacedeyes lc thereof is a halter strap receiving ring 2 adapted to receivethe snap of a halter strap whereby the marker plate will serve not onlyto identify the animal but will also serve in place of the usualexpensive leather halter with which livestock are customarily equipped.

On the base of the shank Ia are knobs or pro,- jection Id, underlyingthe outer tips of the rolled tongues lb to prevent opening of the eyesdue to a downward pull on the halter strap receiving ring 2.

Chain 8 is made in onepiece, each link however being formed of wirehaving its ends bent back upon themselves to form terminal loops and theouter ends of the wires being twisted around the central portion of thelink, thereby forming loops at each end of each link, which loops arenormally disposed in planes substantially at right angles to each otheras indicated in Fig. 1. One

link So however adjacent the hook 4 is flattened so that the terminalloops at each end of link 8a lie in substantially the same plane, andthe eyes I c of plate I are engaged in link Ba, one eye being disposedat each side of the central or twisted portion of link 8a to form adouble look as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2 so that the plate I willbe normally suspended in the plane of the flattened link 8a when appliedto the neck of the animal.

In applying this marker to the livestock it is merely necessary to passthe chain 8 around the neck or horns of the animal and to engage theopen hook 4 in a link adjacent the other end of the chain and to thenforcibly close the hook 4 to secure the marker in a semi-permanentmanner around the neck or horns of the livestock The hook 4 of themarker would be open when purchased by the farmer or herdsman, andtheeyes I c of the marker plates would be permanently closed. As thelivestock grows however, the hook 4 may be opened and applied in adifferent link to increase the effective diameter of the chain link.

In the marker shown, no strain whatsoever is placed upon the markerplate I due to stresses on the chain 8 and since no stress or strain isimposed upon theplates due to stresses on the chain, the platesthemselves may be made of relatively light metal. The chain 8' may havetwisted links, which twisted links give a more attractive appearancewhen applied to the cattle, since the normally twisted links whichreceive the eyes Ic of the marker plate can be straightened orflattened. Chains having straight links however can of course beutilized.

I do not limit my invention to the exact form shown in the drawings, forobviously changes may be made therein within the scope of the claims.

I claim:

A cattle marker, comprising a marker plate, and a chain having links,each link being formed of wire having its ends bent back upon itself toform loops at each end thereof, said ends being twisted on the centralportion of the wire, one link of the chain being flattened so that theloops at each end lie substantially in the same plane; and the markerplate having two eyes engaging the loops of the flattened link, one eyebeing disposed at each side of the twist of the link, and said eyes whenengaged in said loops forming a double lock for the plate on the chain.

WILLIAM F. SCHACI-I'I.

